文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：Geochemical constraints on the origin of Li-rich claystones in a carbonate weathering environment: Insights from the Jiujialu Formation, central Guizhou

作者：Yang, Jihua Wen, Hanjie Luo, Chongguang Zhu, Chuanwei Du, Shengjiang Cui, Yi

第一作者：Yang, Jihua

通信作者：Wen, HJ[1]

机构：[1]Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geochem, State Key Lab Crit Mineral Res & Explorat, Guiyang 550081, Peoples R China;[2]Changan Univ, Sch Earth Sci & Resources, Xian 710054, Peoples R China;[3]Univ Chinese Acad Sci, Coll Earth & Planetary Sci, Beijing 100049, Peoples R China;[4]Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Earth & Space Sci, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China;[5]Guizhou Inst Technol, Sch Min Engn, Guiyang 550025, Peoples R China;[6]East China Univ Technol, Sch Earth Sci, Nanchang 330013, Peoples R China

第一机构：Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geochem, State Key Lab Crit Mineral Res & Explorat, Guiyang 550081, Peoples R China

通信机构：corresponding author), Changan Univ, Sch Earth Sci & Resources, Xian 710054, Peoples R China.

年份：2025

卷号：187

外文期刊名：ORE GEOLOGY REVIEWS

收录：;Scopus(收录号：2-s2.0-105020918005);WOS:【SCI-EXPANDED(收录号:WOS:001609245800004)】；

基金：We sincerely thank Editor-in-Chief Professor Huayong Chen, reviewer Professor Victor Nechaev, and the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable and constructive comments, which greatly helped us improve the quality of this manuscript. This project was financially supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. XDA0430103) , the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 92162214)

语种：英文

外文关键词：Li isotopes; Li-rich claystone; Lithium enrichment; Argillaceous carbonate; Smectite

摘要：Lithium is recognized as a critical element with widespread applications in emerging industries. In recent years, the unusual enrichment of lithium in claystones from southwestern China has attracted significant attention. However, the sources, host minerals, and enrichment mechanisms of lithium remain poorly understood. This study investigates the major and trace element compositions and mineral assemblages of co-deposited detrital materials in argillaceous dolomite, and claystones from four sections of the Lower Carboniferous Jiujialu Formation (C(1)jj) in central Guizhou Province, South China. The results show that detrital materials in the argillaceous dolomite with an average lithium content of approximately 46.17 ppm are primarily composed of quartz, muscovite, and microcline. A positive correlation between the delta Li-7 values of Li-rich claystones and their host dolomites suggests that lithium released during the weathering of argillaceous carbonate rocks became enriched in the overlying weathering crust, forming the Li-rich claystones. The lithium content and delta Li-7 values in the claystones correlate with the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), showing enrichment at the intermediate weathering stage (CIA = 75-90) and depletion during intense weathering (CIA > 90). Moreover, when the MgO content of the bulk claystone is below 0.25 wt%, lithium content increases sharply with MgO, accompanied by high delta Li-7 values, indicating Mg-poor smectite phase as the Li host. High-lithium claystones exhibit broader smectite peaks in X-ray diffraction (XRD) compared to their low-lithium counterparts, indicating that smectite plays a key role in lithium enrichment. Given the sensitivity of lithium isotopes to clay mineral formation-which is closely influenced to environmental conditions-this study proposes that intermediate weathering (CIA = 75-90) and an alkaline, poorly drained, reducing, and low-salinity depositional environment are favorable for the formation of Li-rich smectite during the weathering of argillaceous carbonate rocks. Notably, although carbonate rocks are typically poor in lithium, the widespread occurrence of Li-rich claystones in carbonate weathering-sedimentary systems suggest a possible mechanism of selective lithium enrichment during clay mineral formation under such conditions. This mechanism warrants further investigation.